Altair HyperMesh Desktop 13.

0
Introduction
Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis

Solids & 3D Meshing

Trainer’s Name
Month XX, 2014

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Chapter 4 - Solids & 3D Meshing

4) Solids & 3D Meshing

• Creating and Editing Solid Geometry
• Tetra Meshing
• Solid Meshing
• Shrink Wrap
• Questions & Answers

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Solid Geometry - What is it?

• Solid:
• A solid is a closed volume of surfaces that can take any shape. Solids are three-dimensional entities that can be
used in automatic tetra and solid meshing.
• Same as solids used in most CAD programs
• Its color is determined by the component collector to which it belongs.
• The surfaces defining a solid can belong to multiple component collectors.
• The display of a solid and its bounding surfaces are controlled only by the component collector to which the solid
belongs.

• Used in functions where defining a volume is required

• Hexa meshing  Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh > multi solids OR one volume sub-panel)
• Tetra meshing  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Volume tetra OR Tetra mesh sub-panel)

Tetra Pyra Hexa Penta

• Especially helpful when dividing a part into multiple volumes

• A part can be divided into multiple, connected solids
• The connection between adjacent solids (topology) can maintain the connectivity of mesh
• Aids visualization when dividing a part into simple, mappable regions (used in hexa meshing) 3
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Solid Geometry - 3D Topology Terminology

• Bounding Faces:
• A bounding face is a surface that defines the outer
boundary of a single solid.
• Bounding faces are shaded green by default.
• A bounding face is unique and is not shared with any
other solid. A single solid volume is defined entirely
by bounding faces.

• Fin Faces:
• A fin face is a surface that has the same solid on all
sides--that is, it acts as a fin inside of a single solid.
• Fin faces are shaded red by default.
• A fin face can be created when manually merging
solids or when creating solids with internal fin
surfaces.

• Full Partitions Faces:

• A full partition face is a surface that defines a shared
boundary between one or more solids.
• Full partition faces are shaded yellow by default.
• A full partition face can be created when splitting a
solid or when using Boolean operations to join 4
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Solid Geometry - 3D Topology Terminology

• Example: 2 connected solids in topology display

Solid faces Edges

• Selectable as surfaces • Selectable as lines

• Bounding Faces • Shared Edges

• Green • Green
• Belong to 1 solid • Belong to 2 adjacent
faces of 1 solid
• Partition Faces
• Yellow • Non-manifold Edges
• Shared between • Yellow
connected solids • Belong to:
• A partition face
- OR -
• 2 solid faces and
1+ surfaces

Fixed Points
• Selectable as points
• Lie at the ends of edges

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Solid Geometry - Tools for Creating Solids

• Import
• Pull-down menus – File > Import > Geometry
• Toolbar > Import Geometry
• HyperMesh will import solid geometry from file types that support solid data

• Solids panel (Geometry > Create > Solids)

• Creates solid geometry of basic shapes:
• Square / Block - Cylinder / Cone – Sphere – Torus
• Full or Partial

• Bounding Surfaces – Select surfaces that enclose a volume

• Drag along Vector– “Extrude" a cross section along a defined vector

• Drag along Normal– “Extrude" a cross section along surf normal vector

• Drag along Line– “Extrude" a cross section along a line

• Spin – “Extrude” a cross section via a circular path

• …

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Solid Geometry - Tools for Creating Solids

• Solids panel (Geometry > Create > Solids )

• The Solids panel allows you to create solid geometry using a wide variety of methods.
• The following subpanels create solids using specific methods.

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Solid Geometry - Tools for Editing Solids

• Surfaces panel
• Creates surfaces using various methods (Geometry > Create > Surfaces)
• Can be used to split a solid (Geometry > Quick Edit)
• Edges of the surface must be equivalenced to edges on the solid.

• Solid Edit panel (Geometry > Edit > Solids)

• Trim with… – splits a solid into 2+ solids using:
• Nodes
• Lines
• Planes/Surfaces

• Merge – combine 2+ adjacent solids into a single solid entity

• Detach – disconnects connected solids

• Boolean – advanced trim & merge operations

• Union (Solid A + Solid B) – same as merge
• Intersection (Solid A x Solid B) – keeps overlapping portions of 2 solids
• Remove (Solid A – Solid B) – deletes the volume of one solid from another
• Cut (Cut Solid A with Solid B) – trims one solid with another solid
• keeps both solids, but they no longer overlap

• Solid Dimensioning panel (Geometry > Edit > Solids > Dimensioning)
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Solid Geometry - Tools for Viewing Solids

Visualization Toolbar > Visualization Options

In the HyperMesh Visualization toolbar, the

Visualization Options Icon will open the

Visualization tab  Topology icon .

• Display or hide 2D and 3D topology (free, shared,

t-junctions, suppressed edges) based on its type
• Control surface transparency
• Display 3D mappability with different shading colors related
to Mappable solid regions.

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Solid Geometry - Geometry color mode

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise (Optional):
Solid Geometry

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-4-3D-MESHING\OPTIONAL\05-SOLID-GEOM.hm

Objectives:
- Create the Solid Entity
- Solid Edit to get a complete mappable
group of solids

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Tetra Meshing - Volume Tetra Mesh

• Volume Tetra Mesh 
Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Volume tetra sub-panel

• The Tetra Mesh panel allows you to fill an enclosed volume (bounded by a shell mesh, tria and/or
quad elements) with first or second order tetrahedral elements.

• Use the Volume Tetra subpanel as a quick method to generate a shell mesh and fill the enclosed
volume with solid elements.
o You can choose to create a shell mesh (2-D) using quads, trias, or mixed elements and a solid mesh (3-D) using
tetrahedral elements only or mixed (tetras and penta) elements.

Tetra Pyra

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Tetra Meshing - Volume Tetra Mesh

• Volume Tetra Mesh (… continue):
• In addition, you can use proximity meshing, which refines the mesh in areas where the features are
small and closer together:
• Use Proximity – Creates smaller elements next to small features to make a smooth transition from small to large
• Use Curvature – Will place more elements along curved surfaces based on user specified settings

No options Use surface

curvature

Use surface
Use proximity curvature and
proximity
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Tetra Meshing - Standard Tetra Meshing

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetra mesh sub-panel
• Use the Tetra Mesh subpanel to fill an arbitrary volume, defined by its surface using tria/quad
elements, with tetrahedral elements.

• Requirements for the shell mesh:

o In general you need an enclosed volume (no free edges in the outer faces).
o Tetra generation process should handle T and free edges inside the volume without problems. The regular
tetrameshing can fail if the baffle connectivity is too complex.
o There can be no duplicates in the mesh.
o Elements should not fold over and overlap each other
o Avoid very low minimum tria angles
o Avoid a large difference in size between adjacent elements
o Avoid a large difference is size between two sides of a wall thickness

• For quad elements in the shell mesh:

o Can split quads into 2 trias and create tetra elements under them
– OR –
o Can keep the quad element and create pyramids under them

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Tetra Meshing - Standard Tetrameshing

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetra mesh sub-panel (…continue)
• Process:
o Generate a surface mesh of shell elements
o Check quality and connectivity of the plate elements
o Generate the tetrahedral mesh
o Delete the original surface mesh
o Edit if necessary to obtain good quality

• Floatable Trias/Quads:
o Adjacent tria faces on the tetrahedral mesh may have their diagonal reversed from the shell mesh if tetras
are better quality

OR

Shell Mesh Tetra Mesh Faces

• Fixed Trias/Quads:
o Adjacent tria faces on the tetrahedral mesh always match the shell mesh

Shell Mesh Tetra Mesh Faces

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Tetra Meshing - Standard Tetrameshing

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetra mesh sub-panel (…continue)

• Standard tetrameshing: Transition Pyramid

Tetra
Simple
1 Pyramid

4 Pyramids
1 Pyramid 2 Tetras

Smooth

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Tetra Meshing - Standard Tetrameshing

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetra mesh sub-panel (…continue)

• Fix Comp Boundaries:

o If the float option is chosen for some boundary regions, HyperMesh is allowed to swap surface shell edges
during mesh generation. However, this prevents the swapping of edges between two components.

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Tetra Meshing - Standard Tetrameshing

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetra mesh sub-panel (…continue)

• Mesh to File:

• Check 2D Mesh:

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Tetra Meshing - Standard Tetrameshing

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetra mesh sub-panel (…continue)
• Example about Tetramesh with Edges and T connection:

o Geometry: 2 closed volumes of surfaces, the red one has T and Free Edges.

o 2D and 3D Tetramesh respect Free Edges and T connection.

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Demo

Work Along Demonstration

Tetramesh with T and Free Edges

OPTIONAL
(05-tetmesh_testing_model.hm)

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Tetra Meshing - Tetra Remesh

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetra remesh sub-panel
• Use the Tetra Remesh subpanel to regenerates the mesh for a single volume of tetrahedral
elements.

• The Free boundary faces option affects those faces of tetra elements which are on the outside of
the volume, meaning the tetra faces which have only one tetra attached. Those faces are called
free boundary faces.
o fixed: The free boundary faces are fixed.

o swappable: The edges of the free boundary

faces can be swapped. The mesh nodes

stay unchanged.

o remeshable: The free boundary faces will

be remeshed.

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Tetra Meshing - Parameters

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Tetramesh parameters sub-panel
• Use the Tetramesh parameters subpanel to set general qualities of the tetrameshing engine,
such as a maximum element size, growth rate, the balance between speed and element
quality, or whether to perform smoothing operations after initial meshing.

o If you wish to limit the largest element size in the mesh,

activate the Max tetra size checkbox and type a maximum
size into the numeric box.

o If you wish to apply an extra stage of calculation to improve

overall mesh quality without altering the number of nodes
and elements, activate the Post-mesh smoothing checkbox.

o If your geometry includes void spaces that you wish to

eliminate from the mesh, activate the fill voids checkbox.

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Tetra Meshing - Refinement

• Tetra Mesh  Mesh > Create > Tetra Mesh > Refinement box sub-panel
• Use the Refinement box subpanel to define a specific box-shaped volume within an existing
tetramesh in which to generate finer mesh.

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Tetra Meshing - Optimization

• Tetramesh Optimization  Mesh > Check > Elements > Tetra Mesh Optimization
• Improves the tetra mesh quality regarding user selected element criteria

Several criteria for

optimization
Mesh statistics

Boundary shell mesh

Constraints

More options

Check to examine the

mesh with criteria;
Show Failed to isolates
only the failed elements

Apply to begin the fix

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process
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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 4a (Manual Page 239):

3D Tetra Meshing

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-4-3D-MESHING\04a-VOLUME-TETRA-MESH.hm

Objectives:
3D Tetra Element Creation/Edit
Model Visualization & Organization
Working with Panels

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Tetra Meshing - Tetra Meshing Process Manager

• TetraMesh Process Manager
Mesh > Create > TetraMesh Process pull-down menu >Create Newl

• Import geometry or an HyperMesh File

• Clean up the geometry
• Organize the model (holes and features)
• Establish mesh size and pattern for the organized geometry
• Create a 2-D Mesh
• Clean up the 2-D mesh
• TetraMesh
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Tetra Meshing - Tetra Meshing Process Manager

• TetraMesh Process Manager (… continue)
• The TetraMesh Process Manager will create a new tab “Process Manager” that will show the
step-by-step process required to create the tetra mesh.

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Tetra Meshing - Tetra Meshing Process Manager

• TetraMesh Process Manager (… continue)
• The current step will be indicated with a white arrow while completed steps will be shown
with a green arrow .
• Additionally, the panel area will change from the standard HyperMesh panels and will provide all
the tools and functions needed to complete the current step.
• The standard HyperMesh panels can be retrieved at any time by undocking the Process Manager
panels using the icon .

• Selecting the icon will redock the Process Manager panels.

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 4b (Manual Page 255):

Tetra Meshing Process Manager

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-4-3D-MESHING\04b-TETMESH_PM.hm

Objectives:
3D Tetra Element Creation using
Tetra Mesh Process

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Solid Map - What is it?

• Location:
• Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh
Hexa Penta

• What it does:
• Creates hexa-penta mesh in 1 or more volumes

• Each volume is defined by selecting a solid geometry entity

• Easy to define shape for the mesh since only one entity is selected

• Each volume must be a “mappable shape”

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Solid Map Volume - Mappable Shapes

• Solid Map requires solid geometry of mappable shapes

• Mappable shapes are defined as:

• 2 opposing faces (called “source” and “destination” faces)

• 1 or more faces that directly connect the source and destination

• These enclose the volume between the source and destination
• Called “along faces”
• “Drag direction”: the vector from the source face to the destination face
• A volume might be mappable in more than 1 direction

Destination
Along
Face
Faces

Source Drag
Face Direction

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Solid Map One Volume - Process

• Basic process of using Solid Map > one volume is:

1. Create solid geometry 2. Split the solid geometry into

mappable regions

3. Use solid map to create hex mesh on each solid entity

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Solid Map Volume - Tips and Requirements

• Source and destination faces
• Source face can be made of multiple surfaces
• Edges can be suppressed to make a single surface (if possible)

• Destination face must be a single surface

• Solid map will mesh the rectangular • Solid map will fail
region • Both sides have multiple surfaces
• Only 1 side has multiple surfaces (connection to the cylindrical
(connection to the meshed regions)
cylindrical region)

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Solid Map Volume - Tips and Requirements

• Edges and fixed points on along faces
• Hexa mesh will follow shared edges parallel to the drag direction

• Shared edges perpendicular to the drag direction cause solid map : volume to fail
• Suppress these edges

• Hexa meshes will ‘ignore’ fixed points along drag direction

Drag
Direction

Edges perpendicular to Solid map can now mesh

Suppress the edges
drag direction the part

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Solid Map Volume - Tips and Requirements

• Splitting solid geometry
• Try to divide the part into the fewest regions possible

• Less divisions = less work = less time

• Less divisions = larger regions

• More control over mesh size
• Not forced to use smaller mesh size due to small regions

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Solid Map Volume - Tips and Requirements

• Fillet control
• If needed, split the fillet surface along its length

• Suppress the original fillet edges

Create the
Split the fillet solid mesh
lengthwise Suppress the
original edges

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Solid Map Volume - Tips and Requirements

• Controlling mesh pattern with shell mesh
• Solid map > one volume will use mesh pattern of shell mesh on the source face

• Use 2D AutoMesh panel (recommended but not required)

• Automatically associated with the surface
• Ensures connectivity with adjacent elements

• Can use other shell meshing panels (drag, spin, spline, etc.)
• Need to associate the elements to the surface before solid meshing
• Use node edit : associate panel to do this

Default Create shell Solid map uses the

mesh shell mesh pattern

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Solid Map Volume - Tips and Requirements

• Meshing adjacent volumes
• Mesh volumes that are immediately adjacent to volumes that have already been meshed
• Ensures proper mesh connectivity if possible
• 2 start points will probably not result in matching mesh patterns

• Start with smaller volumes

• Mesh pattern of small volumes will be used on an larger, adjacent volume
• Must be connected to the source face of the larger, adjacent volume

Start with the Mesh pattern from the smaller

smaller region region is carried through the larger

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Solid Map Meshing - Tips and Requirements

• Meshing adjacent volumes, continued

• Drag perpendicular to adjacent volumes

• Along faces are always rows/columns of quads
• Allows adjacent volumes connected by their along faces to be easily connected &
equivalenced
• Avoids discontinuities
• Manually specify the source & destination faces in Solid Map > one volume

All quad faces

Drag direction 1
Drag direction 2

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Solid Map Meshing - Multi Solids

Solid Map Panel Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh > multi solids

• What it does:
• Creates hexa-penta mesh in multiple volumes
simultaneously

• Each volume is defined by selecting a solid geometry

entity

• Each volume must be a “mappable shape”

• Control over node density, mesh method and other

mesh controls such as mesh flow are all now
possible BEFORE creating the solid mesh.
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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 4c (Manual Page 274):

3D Solid meshing with Hexas and Pentas

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-4-3D-MESHING\04c-STAND-SOLID-MAP.prt

Objectives:
Solids and 3D Element Creation/Edit
Model Visualization & Organization
Working with Panels

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Solid Map Meshing - Other Methods

• Solid Map Panel Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh > general

This Panel allow you to create 3D elements, based on the parameters you input, from an existing 2D mesh.
Use the general sub-panel to access all of the possible entry controls for maximum flexibility.

• Solid Map Panel Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh > line drag

Use the line drag sub-panel to select a 2D mesh, and then select a line from the model geometry to use as
the mapping direction.

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Solid Map Meshing - Other Methods

• Solid Map Panel Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh > linear solid

Use the linear solid sub-panel to select two existing 2D meshes and extrapolate a 3D mesh that connects
them.

• Solid Map Panel Mesh > Create > Solid Map Mesh > ends only

Use the ends only sub-panel to select two opposing surfaces and one 2D mesh, then extrapolate the mesh
between the surfaces.

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3D Meshing - Other Methods

• Linear Solid Panel Mesh > Create > 3D Elements > Linear 3D

The linear solid panel allows you to create solid elements between two groups of plate elements.

• Drag Panel Mesh > Create > 3D Elements > Drag

The drag panel allows you to elements by dragging selected elements. The function drags the selected
entities along the specified vector creating elements along that vector.

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3D Meshing - Other Methods

• Line Drag Panel Mesh > Create > 3D Elements > Line Drag

The line drag panel allows you to create elements by dragging nodes, lines, or elements along another

line.

• Spin Panel Mesh > Create > 3D Elements > Spin

The spin panel allows you to elements by spinning a group of elements about a vector to create a
circular structure.

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3D Meshing - Shrink Wrap Mesh

• Mesh > Create > Shrink Wrap Mesh

• Surfaces and solids are now available as input to the

shrink wrap – it is no longer necessary to mesh the model
beforehand.
• Feature recognition for tight wrap is automatic, no need
to manually define features as per HM9.0.
• generate solid mesh option has been introduced to
provide a hexa only voxelized output. A jacobian
parameter is definable to control the quality of the hexa
mesh.
• mesh orientation option is available to control the
resulting shell/solid mesh which will be orientated to either
the global or user defined local system.
• if you model contains holes that you wish the shrink wrap
cover over as if they did not exist, click the patch holes
checkbox 46
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3D Meshing - Shrink Wrap Mesh

• Mesh > Create > Shrink Wrap Mesh

• A Tight Shrink Wrap generates a tight- • A Loose Shrink Wrap generates a

fitting mesh that adheres closely to the loose-fitting shrink wrap mesh that
underlying model, capturing as many generally conforms to the model.
features as possible.

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3D Meshing - Shrink Wrap Mesh

• Mesh > Create > Shrink Wrap Mesh – Cloud Point

• Cloud Point – You can generate a 2D or 3D

shrinked mesh starting from a cloud of nodes.
In that case you don’t have Tight or Lose
algorithm.

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 4d (Manual Page 282):

Shrink Wrap Meshing

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-4-3D-MESHING\04d-SHRINK-WRAP-MESH.hm

Objectives:
Create a shrink wrap mesh.
Work with panel and options

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Chapter 4 - Questions & Answers

1) What does it mean when you see yellow faces in your model in “visualization” icon?
A. Two surfaces are stitched together
B. Two surfaces are separated
C. Two edges are merged to create one surface
D. Two solid faces are stitched together

2) Which panel can you use to generate a 3D Hexa mesh, starting from solid geometry or enclosed
volume or surfaces?
E. Solid map
F. Volume Tetra
G. Tetra Mesh Standard
H. Automesh

3) Which one is not required for tetrameshing process in HyperMesh?

I. Geometry cleanup
J. Generate a shell mesh
K. Creating a mid-plane
L. Check connectivity of the elements

4) Which operation is not available in HyperMesh?

M. Create Surfs entities from FE
N. Capture a picture from screen
O. Save your database in “.res” format
P. Dynamically edit your geometry entities with automatic FE remesh

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Altair HyperMesh Desktop 13.0
Introduction

Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis

1D Meshing & Connectors

Trainer’s Name
Month XX, 2013

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Chapter 5 - 1D Meshing and Connectors

5) 1D Meshing and Connectors
• 1D Meshing

• HyperBeam

• Connectors

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Introduction to 1D Meshing
• 1D mesh are simple connections between nodes, allow accurate testing of connectors
(such as bolts) and similar rod-like or bar-like objects that can be modeled as a simple line
for FEA purposes.

• You can create 1D Element from the following panel:

• 1D elements currently supported include bar2s, bar3s,

rigid links, rbe3s, plots, rigids, rods, springs, welds,
gaps and joints.

• Plot elements are generated in the Edit Element,

Line Mesh, Elem Offset, Edges, or Features panel.

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1D Meshing - Rigids
• RIGID  Rigid link to transfer motion from the independent
node to the dependent node(s)
• The Rigids panel allows you to create rigid or rigid link elements.

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1D Meshing - RBE3
• RBE3  Rigid link to distribute loads. Will not induce stiffness
• RBE3’s are interpolation constraint elements, where the motion of a
dependent node is defined as the weighted average of the motions of a
group of independent nodes.
• RBE3’s are typically used to distribute loads applied on the dependent
node amongst the selected independent nodes.

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1D Meshing - Springs
• SPRING  A SPRING element is an element created in a space between two
nodes of a model where a spring connection is desired. Spring elements store a
property and a degree of freedom (DOF).

Allow to
set
spring
direction
vector

Prop ID Stiffness Damping Rupture Stress

• Elements characterized by linear stiffness

• Any possible property: PELAS, PBUSH
• Usual use: structures with linear elastic behavior

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1D Meshing - Rod
• ROD  A ROD element is an element created in a space between two nodes of a model where rod
properties are desired. The two nodes are related to each other based on the properties of the rod
element connecting them. Rod elements have property pointers.

Prop ID Material ID Bar Section Non Structural Mass

• They have a section definition and feel axial stress and refer a material
• Their property is PROD

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1D Meshing - Bar/Beam
• BEAM/BAR  Non Rigid Link that has properties that include a
cross section and material definitions.
• The Bar/Beam 1D elements are able to simulate structure with inertia,
neutral axis pass through section shear center (not necessary for
beams), they feel axial stress, torsion, bending.
• 1D elems able to simulate structure with inertia, neutral axis pass
through section shear center (not necessary for beams), they feel
axial stress, torsion, bending.
• Usual use: bolt simulation

To retrieve
sections
created in
HyperBeam

Non
Prop ID Material ID Bar Section Inertia Y Inertia Z Polar Structural
Inertia Mass
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1D Meshing - Cweld
• CWELD Weld or Fastener Element Connection. Define welds or fasteners connecting two surface
patches or points. It can describe connections between:
two point and a
surface surface
patches patch

two shell
vertex grid
points

• Material MID, diameter D, and the length are used to calculate the stiffness of the connector in 6 directions. MID can
only refer to the MAT1 bulk data entry. The length is the distance of GA to GB.

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1D Meshing - Cweld
• CWELD Element Card How the connection is defined.
GRIDID indicates that the connection is defined with grid identification numbers (GA and GB.
ELEMID indicates that the connection is defined with shell element identification numbers SHIDA
and SHIDB
ALIGN indicates that the connection is defined between two shell vertex grid points.

Elem ID Prop ID

• CWELD Property Card

Prop ID Material ID
Diameter of the
connector

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1D Meshing - Check Elements

• 1D Check Elements Panel Mesh > Check > Elements > Check Elements > 1-d
• The Check Elems panel allow you to verify the basic quality of your elements and to verify
the geometric qualities of those elements.
• Use the 1-d subpanel to check for free ends in one-dimensional elements, to determine if a
group of one-dimensional elements forms a loop, or to check rigid elements for conditions
causing double dependency.

Free end node Find free nodes

for rigids

At least 2 dependent
Ring sequence of rigids
nodes are shared

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1D Meshing - HyperBeam
• HyperBeam Tool Properties > HyperBeam
• The HyperBeam View (available in the Model Browser once the application is opened),
allows you to create & control HyperBeam beam-section data in HyperMesh.
• HyperBeam View can be divided into the following sections: Section Browser & Parameter
Definition, Graphics Window, Results Panel and the Toolbar.

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1D Meshing - HyperBeam

1. View in the Model Browser:

HyperBeam View
2. Create, edit, delete while in
HyperBeam View
• Beamsection collectors
• Standard sections [solver libraries]
• Generic sections
• Shell and solid sections [now with
the HB sketcher]
3. Shell Section Part Editor and
Orientation Editor
4. Export CSV

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1D Meshing - HyperBeam

5. Section View Manipulators

• Zoom, circle zoom, pan and fit
• Hooked to the mouse in standard
HM fashion
6. Vertex/parameter controller
• Add/Delete Vertex for Shell and
Solid Sections
• Delete Shell Parts or Solid
Perimeters
• Text Editing on screen
• Ability to snap vertices to grid
locations [shell and solid sections]
• Slide thicknesses to change them
• Slide parameters for standard
sections
• Auto-Weld for Shell Sections

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1D Meshing - HyperBeam

7. Shell and Solid Section Sketcher

• Simple interface
• Automatic creation

8. Preview Referenced and

Unreferenced beamsections
Allow you to create new sections and assign them to their props:

1) shell section: Section definition from lines or elements

2) solid section: Section definition from lines, surfs or elements

2) standard section: Predefined sections

3) generic section: New sections managed by parameters

4) edit section: Changing section properties

5) section utils: Section orientation respect to axial direction

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1D Meshing - HyperBeam
• HyperBeam Tool Properties > HyperBeam
• Example: Solid section to be associated to a beam section

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1D Meshing - HyperBeam
• HyperBeam Tool Properties > HyperBeam
• Model browser + Entity Editor

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Connectors - What are they & why use them?

• Geometric entities that define connections between other entities
• Used for welding, bolts, adhesives, etc.
• Link geometry or FE entities
• Can be “realized” into FE representations of welds, etc. for any supported solver
• rigids, CWELDs, MAT100s, ACMs, etc.

• Connectors allow for easy and rapid:

• Creation of FE welds, bolts, adhesives, etc.
• interactively or from:
• XML file
• MCF (master connectors file)
• Spot welds only
• Switching between different FE configurations of
welds, bolts, adhesives, etc.
• Part swapping and reconnection
• Replacement by names or IDs

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Connectors - Types of Connectors

• Spot • Bolt
• Connections at a point • Connections at hole
• Spot welds, rivets, etc. locations
• Bolts

• Seam
• Connections along
• Area
a length
• • Connection of
Seam welds
areas
• Connects geometry
• Adhesives
only

• Trim Mass
• Non-physical mass
• Simplification through
replacement of parts
with mass only or add
mass to existing part. 69
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Connectors - Terminology

• Link Entities - The entities that are being connected

• User can explicitly define link entities or specify a search tolerance
• Can be components, elements, surfaces, nodes, or tags
• Typically components are linked

• Connector Location - Where the entities are linked

• Nodes – created at the node location
• Points – created at the point location
• Lines – created for the line
• line may be split into multiple projection locations as specified by the offset,
spacing, and density values
• Elements – created at the element location (adhesives only)
• Surface – created at the surface location (adhesives only)

• Connector Realization – The creation of the finite element representation of

that connector
• Rigids, springs, etc., or custom configurations such as ACMs, CWELDS, etc.

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Connectors - Terminology

• Connector State – Whether an FE representation of a connector has been

created
• Unrealized - The initial status of the connector entity upon creation
• Realized - The status only if creation of the FE weld representation at the connector
was successful
• Failed – The status if the creating the FE weld representation at the connector was
not successful

• # of Layers – number of FE weld layers to attempt to generate for the connector

• 2T, 3T, etc.

2T Weld 3T Weld
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Connectors - Terminology

• Connect When: – Specifies when the link entity information is added to the
connector
• Now - Allows you to add link entity information now. For this option, you must
select the connect what entities and num layers to successfully create a
connector.
• At FE Realize - The link entities to the connector are determined while realizing
the connector. The link entities are determined by the projections and proximity
from the connector location.

• Re-Connect Rule – Defines method for connector re-attachment during part

swapping/replacement
• None - If a link entity is deleted, the link entity is removed from the connector
• By ID - If a link entity is deleted, the connector retains the ID of the link entity, and
will to a new entity with that ID upon realization
• By Name – Same as the by id rule except that the entity name is retained

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Connectors - Tools
• Connectors Tools  Connectors > Create > …

• Spot
• Bolt create, edit, and realize that
• Seam style of connectors
• Area

• Apply Mass – adds a mass value to entities

• Used to represent mass of parts that are not present in the model
• FE Absorb – Create new connectors from existing elements of recognizable FE representations of welds, bolts,
adhesives, etc.
• Add Links – Add link entities to existing connectors
• Unrealize – Delete FE representations of welds / bolts / adhesives associated with existing connectors
• Compare – Checks the MCF against displayed model file
• Quality – Check for duplicate connectors, combine connectors, check quality of realized elements
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Connectors - Tools
• Import Connectors  Import Master Weld Files to automatically create connectors

• Export Connectors  Export Master Weld Files to export connectors

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Connectors - Tools
• Export Connectors  (…continue)

• Include bolt dynamic vector option - Connectors will be exported with dynamically
identified bolt vector by default.

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Connectors - Browser

• Connector Browser – Hierarchal browser that

provides information and the ability to edit
connectors

• Shows
• Type of Connector
• Link Information
• State of connector

• Editable
• Edit link entities, export mwf files, etc

• Found in Tab Browser Area

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Connectors - Browser
• Connector Browser (…continue)

• Connector by Property:
Property view
• Properties are available as
connector links now.
• Property view added to
Link group display
connector browser
• Link groups are shown in the
connector browser
• All find and display supported
for properties and groups
• Export to Master Connection
File (MCF)

MCF Export
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Connectors - Visualization options

• Visualization Options – Controls how
connectors are displayed:

• Color connectors by state, layers, or component

• Visibility by state or layers (can turn the display on
or off)
• Control size of connector display
• Bolt L1/L2 Graphical Cylinder with Vector

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Connectors - Autopitch
• “Autopitch” Tool  Connectors > Create > Autopitch

Mesh Model

•During the model build process

weld data from CAD is often
unavailable.

•The Autopitch tool creates

unrealized connectors at a user AutoPitch

defined pitch distance.

•The connectors can be realized

using the standard connector
functionality.

Realize Connectors

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Connectors - Autopitch
• “Autopitch” Tool  Connectors > Create > Autopitch (…continue)
• Autopitch will connect flange>flange, flat>flange, and flat>flat regions – it’s more
than just connecting flanges…

1
2
3
4
5

4
1
2

3
5

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Connectors Mesh Edit - Imprint

• Connectors “Mesh Edit”  1D page > connectors > mesh edit > imprint

• When creating mesh-dependent realizations with quad transitions, the quad

transition meshes can overlap and disturb each other if more than one set of
connectors is created too close to each other. The connector imprint panel
provides a way to reconcile such transitions with each other and then modify the
underlying mesh to match the results. This creates a seamless, properly meshed
final result.

• The connector imprint panel is accessible from within the connectors module,
which is accessible in the panel area of the 1D, 2D, and 3D menu pages. It uses
the standard mesh edit panel's imprint subpanel, but defaults to different values
for several of the entry fields.

• Use of the mesh edit - connector imprint panel is generally only required when
sets of connectors with quad transitions are located too close to each other for the
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Connectors Mesh Edit - Imprint

• Connectors “Mesh Edit”  1D page > connectors > mesh edit > imprint

• The panel includes collectors for specifying the imprint mesh (source) and the
destination mesh, as well as an option to determine which components the
imprint will be organized into. There are additional settings to be made; for further
details see the mesh edit panel.

• The below screenshot displays the recommended panel settings for mesh imprint
in combination with connectors:

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Connectors Mesh Edit - Imprint

• Connectors “Mesh Edit”  1D page > connectors > mesh edit > imprint

Resolve conflicting Imprint: 1° Strategy

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Connectors Mesh Edit - Imprint

• Connectors “Mesh Edit”  1D page > connectors > mesh edit > imprint

Resolve conflicting imprints: 1°Strategy

• Smaller conflicts can be resolved automatically when realizing the connectors. This releases the
overlapping elements and performs a normal remesh in that area. This is permitted as long as the
overlapping area is smaller than half the regular quad transition element. However, if a conflict is
too great it cannot be resolved in this fashion.

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Connectors Mesh Edit - Imprint

• Connectors “Mesh Edit”  1D page > connectors > mesh edit > imprint

Manual conflicting imprints: 2°Strategy

• In the second step, the conflicting elements can be manually modified with all of the functions that
HyperMesh provides.
• Then the manual mesh imprint is performed.

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 5a (Manual Page 300):

1D Meshing and Connectors

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-5-1D-MESHING\05a-1D-MESHING.hm

Objectives:
Working with 1D & Connectors

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Chapter 5 - Questions & Answers

1) What definition is wrong?

A. The connector is a fem entity that contain information defining a specific
request for connection at a specific location
B. The connector is a way of connection among layers implemented in
HyperMesh and affects the simulation of a welding only after being realized
C. Connectors can be imported or exported in HyperMesh
D. Connectors can be realized with both mesh dependent or independent

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Altair HyperMesh Desktop 13.0
Introduction

Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis

HyperMorph

Trainer’s Name
Month XX, 2013

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Chapter 6 - HyperMorph

6) HyperMorph
• Introduction to Morphing Technology
• Free Hands
• Domains and Handles
• Morph Volumes
• Map to Geometry
• Questions & Answers

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HyperMorph Introduction
• What is HyperMorph?
• Mesh morphing module in HyperMesh Desktop that allows you to
morph an FE model in useful, logical, and intuitive ways which result in
minimal element distortion.

• Morphing Technology Applications

• Rapidly change geometry of existing model interactively or
parametrically
• Map an existing mesh onto a new design data
• Generate and edit shape variables for optimization

• HyperMorph Methods
• Freehand morphing - Direct morphing of the mesh without any
morphing entities
• Morph volumes - Efficient setup of morphing for complex FEA models
• Map to geometry - Map to new design lines using lines, planes,
surfaces, meshes, functions, interpolated surfaces, and section lines.
• Local & Global morphing - Method ideal for parametric changes via 90
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HyperMorph Methods Overview

Freehand morphing Morph volumes

Map to geometry Local morphing via

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domains and handles
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HyperMorph Highlights

• Section morphing
• Map to new design lines using line difference

• Morph constraints
• Preserve model attributes while morphing

• Morph shapes
• Transfer morphing between different meshes

• Manipulators

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HyperMorph Highlights

• Morphing of connectors
• Ability to morph bolts and spot welds as clusters and seam
welds as stretchable

• Automatic remeshing
• Dynamic re-meshing while morphing as element quality
degrades below set criteria

• Non-linear shapes
• Creation of shapes to vary design variables for
optimization along non-linear paths

• Smooth mesh transition

• Tangency constraints between morph volumes and
domains
• Kriging based smooth multi-directional morphing

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HyperMorph Tools
• HyperMorph Module 

• From the menu bar, go to Morphing, and select the appropriate function:

• On the Tool page click on HyperMorph, and click on the appropriate panel

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HyperMorph Entities

• Morphing Entities
• Handles – controls model shape during morphing
• Domains – divides a model into regions (for domain based morphing)
• Morph volume – A cube shaped volume that morphs all entities that are located inside the
shape (for volume based morphing)
• Constraints – Control the motion of nodes during morphing
• Symmetries – forces regions to be morphed symmetrically
• Shapes – model state during morphing saved for retrieval at a later point

Handles

Morph Volume Symmetries Domains

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HyperMorph Free Hand

• Morphing > Free Hand
Use this panel to morph your mesh without needing domains, handles, or morph volumes.
Separate options exist for moving selected nodes directly, recording actions made in other panels,
"sculpting" meshes with different virtual tools, and saving a morph as a shape.
The freehand panel consists of several subpanels: move nodes, record, sculpting, and save shape.

Changes made on one subpanel do not affect the others, and are persistent so that you can switch freely
between subpanels without losing any settings already made.

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HyperMorph Free Hand

• Morphing > Free Hand (…continue)
The freehand panel has several types of movement:

Manipulator You may then click and drag one of the

three arrows of the manipulator to translate the nodes,

click and drag one of the three arcs of the

manipulator to
rotate the nodes about the center of the
manipulator, or
click and drag one of the three
right angles of the
manipulator to move the nodes
in a plane.
The images show a triad manipulator and where to

click on it to translate it along a vector, rotate

it about an
axis, or translate it in a plane.

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 6a (Manual Page 322):

Free Hands Morphing

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\06a-PROPELLER-FREE-HANDS.hm

Objectives:
Use Free Hands:
Translating Nodes to Increase
the Length of a Propeller Blade

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise (Optional):
Experience with Free Hands
• move nodes > move to surf

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 02-cylider_geom2.hm

HINT:
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 02-cylider_geom2_shapes-saved.hm
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 02-cylider_geom_ok.wrf

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles

• How does Morphing work
• Mesh Model is divided into domains
• Handles are placed at domain boundaries
• Domain shape is controlled by attached handles
• Handle movements change domain shapes, which in turn move nodes within domains
• Global handles affect entire model
• Local handles only affect parent and neighboring domains
• Map to geometry

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles

• Morphing > Create > Domains

Domains and handles are divided into two basic groups, global and local.
Global domain encloses the entire model in an imaginary box with eight global handles at the corners
of the box and one handle at the center of the box. Every node in the model is part of the global
domain and thus, movement of global handle influence nodes of the entire model.

NOTE: The intent of global domain and handles are to make large scale shape changes to the model.

Local domain is further divided into

four different types of domains:
- 1D domain
- 2D domain
- 3D domain
- edge domain

These local handles can only influence the

nodes contained in the domains they are
associated with.
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HyperMorph Domains & Handles

• Morphing > Create > Handles

• Handle : accompany each domain and provide the mechanism to modify shape of a mesh
• Handle influence : describe how a movement of a handle relate to nodal movements.
• Global handle : only exist in global domain. Movement of a global handle can affect every
node within a model. It allows a large scale shape change.
• Local handle : only exist in local domains. Any local handle can only influence nodes
contained in the local domains they are associated with. It is used for local shape changes.
• Global morphing : morphing using global domains and global handles.
• Local morphing : morphing using local domains and local handles.

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles

• Morphing > Create > Handles (…continue)
• Domain angle : the angle between the normal vectors between
two elements. When the value is exceeded, a partition break is
confirmed and a new domain will be created with an edge
running between the two elements.
• Curve tolerance : a parameter used to decide if a mesh
geometric feature is straight or curve. Similar to domain angle, a
partition is performed when the value is exceeded.
• Partition : a HyperMorph term to logically divides a 2D domian
into smaller 2D domains based on the values of domain angle
and curve tolerance.

• ^morphface : 2D elements on
the faces of each 3D domain
and placed into a ^morphface
component. Any morphing
operation on those face
elements within ^morphface
influences underneath solid
elements. Essentially, to morph
solid elements is to morph
elements within ^morphface.

• Constraints : a HyperMorph feature to restrict the movement of nodes during morphing 103
operations.
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HyperMorph Domains & Handles

• Morphing > Create > Handles (…continue)
• Dependency : a HyperMorph feature which can be used to build relationships among handles.
Multiple layers of dependency is supported.

• Independent handle : the handle is only morphed by its own movement and independent from
other handle movement.

• Dependent handle : the handle is affected by the movement of its associated independent
handle.

Local handle dependency

Global handle dependency

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Terminology

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Move Handles

• Morphing > Morph > move handles - Perform morphing operation by move handles

Morph interactively by dragging handles Rotate a mesh

across graphics area

Translate a handle to a node Translate a handle to a coordinate

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Alter Dimensions

• Morphing > Morph > alter dimensions - Perform morphing operation by alter dimension.

alter dimension (angle) alter dimension (radius)

alter dimension (distance) alter dimension (curvature)

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Set Biasing

• Morphing > Morph > set biasing - Change the biasing factors associated with each handle.

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Set Constraints

• Morphing > Morph > set constraints - fix certain nodes in place so that they do not move
during a morph.

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Shapes

• Morphing > Morph > save shape
The save shape sub-panel allows you to save the active morph as a shape entity

• Handle and Node Perturbations - You can save a shape as either handle or node perturbations.
The difference becomes important when the model is reparametrized or when domains, handles, and symmetries
are
created or deleted.
• When a shape is saved as node perturbations, it always has the same shape no matter what changes occur
with the morphing entities.
• If the shape is saved as handle perturbations, changes in the relationships between handles and nodes will alter
the resultant node perturbations when the shape is reapplied.

• Morphing > Morph > apply shapes

The apply shapes sub-panel allows you to apply shapes to the current mesh.
This feature is a limited version of the apply shapes sub-panel located in the shapes panel.

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Optimization using HyperMorph Shapes in HyperStudy

1) You can start HyperStudy from the Application pull down menu

2) You can export these HyperMorph Shapes to be used in HyperStudy as parametrized file model.

Note:

a. HyperMesh – HyperStudy connection is not limited to shape variables, other properties such as thicknesses, loads can
also be imported from a HyperMesh model to a HyperStudy session. 111
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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Morph Surfaces

• Morphing > Morph > morph surfaces
Morph the surfaces in the model to adhere to any morphing of mesh nodes that were previously
associated with them.

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Symmetry

• Morphing > Create > Symmetries - Perform morphing operation by symmetry

• There are two basic symmetry groups: reflective and non-reflective:

• Reflective symmetries:
(1-plane, 2-plane, 3-plane, and cyclical)
are now working for map to geometry
and dimension changes.

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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Symmetry

• Morphing > Create > Symmetries - Examples

114
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HyperMorph Domains & Handles - Symmetry

• Morphing > Create > Symmetries - Examples

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 6b (Manual Page 346):

Morphing Domains and Handles

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\06b-DOMAINS-HANDLES.hm

Objectives:
Use Domains & Handles:
Create domains and handles,
Morph the model

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise (Optional):
Experience with Domains and Handles
• Change parameter (move handles)
• Change dimension (alter dimensions)

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 04-arm2D.hm

HINT:
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 04-arm2D_ok.wrf

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise (Optional):
Experience with Domains and Handles
• Change and review shapes

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 03-localmorph_ribs.hm

HINT:
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 03-localmorph_ribs_shape-saved.hm
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 03-localmorph_ribs_ok.wrf

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HyperMorph Morph Volumes

• Morphing > Create > Morph Volumes
Morph volume is a new technique to easily morph a model while maintaining tangency. This
morphing technique involves creation of a closed box(es) called morph volume with control
points known as handles created at the corners and on the edges of the morph volume.

Morph volumes envelope the whole rear suspension

to move it backwards

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HyperMorph Morph Volumes

• Morphing > Create > Morph Volumes (…continue)

Matrix

Hexa
convert

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 6c (Manual Page 358):

Morph Volumes

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\06c-MORPH-VOLUMES.hm

Objectives:
Morph Volumes:
Changing the Shape of the
B-pillar with the Help of
Morph Volume

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise (Optional):
Experience with Morph Volumes
• Spin Elements

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 02b-housing_spin_elem.hm

HINT:
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 02b-housing_spin_elem_done.hm
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 02b-housing_spin_elem_ok.wrf

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HyperMorph Map to Geometry

• Morphing > Map to Geometry
Map to geometry is much appreciated if only a few new geometries are known and a previous model
should take the new shape.

Beside simple mapping tools like map to line, map to surface, map to elements are more complex
mapping available tools like map to section, line difference, surf difference, etc.

Mapping with line difference for Mapping with map to line for
getting a lower roof. 123
getting a wide wheelhouse
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HyperMorph Map to Geometry

• Morphing > Map to Geometry - Examples

Map to line
Map to surface

Map to surface edge

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 6d (Manual Page 368):

Map to Geometry

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\06d-MAP-TO-GEOM.hm

Objectives:
Map to Geometry:
Changing the Curvature
of a Bumper to a
Curved Line

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise (Optional):
Map to Geometry (keep constraints)
• Map to Line (Component «LINE»)
• Map to surfaces (Component «MAP-TO-SURFS»)

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 05-keep-constraints.hm

HINT:
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 05-keep-constraints_done.hm
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-6-HYPERMORPH\OPTIONAL\ 05-keep-constraints_ok.wrf
+
Use Component «MAP-TO-SURFS» to map also elems on surface
a) morph constraints > release all nodes
b) Map to geom > map to surf > Elements included in Comp_1

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Advanced Application of HyperMorph

Kajak to Canoe

Before

After

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Advanced Application of HyperMorph

Dart to X-29 Supersonic Jet

Before

After

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Chapter 6 - Questions & Answers

1) Which of the following is a Morphing Application?

A. Change geometric shape described by a mesh

B. Alter dimensions of a meshed part parametrically
C. Fit old model to new design data
D. All of above

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Introduction

Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis

Analysis Setup

Trainer’s Name
Month XX, 2013

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Chapter 7 - Analysis Setup

7) Analysis Setup
• General Analysis Setup Process & Tools
• Part Replacement Tool
• Questions & Answers

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Analysis Setup - HyperMesh Capabilities

• What is it? - Definition of all information for an analysis besides the mesh
• Specification of solver to be used
• Creation materials, properties, etc.
• Assignment of a solver specific format to HyperMesh entities
• Creation boundary conditions (constraints, loads, contacts, etc.)
• Definition of other required information (solution requests, general run parameters, etc.)

• HyperMesh is a “solver neutral” pre-processor

• Works with many different solvers
• Can convert between supported solvers
• Capable of assembly from input files of different solvers
• Can be customized to support other solver codes

• Can set up many types of analysis

• Structural (Stress, NVH, Durability, Non-Linear Structural)
• OptiStruct, Abaqus, Nastran, Ansys, Marc, nSOFT
• Manufacturing (Flow / Mold-Filling, Extrusion)
• RADIOSS, Moldflow, CMold, HyperExtrude
• Safety (Impact / Crash, Occupant Safety)
• Dyna, Pamcrash, RADIOSS, Madymo
• Optimization (Topology, Topography, Shape, Size / Gauge)
• OptiStruct
• …
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Solver Formats - Interacting with Solvers

• HyperMesh interacts with many solvers

• Each solver has its own unique formats, terminology, etc.
• Example: compare nodes and elements in Abaqus and OptiStruct
• 3 nodes
• 2 quad elements
• Format / structure is obviously different

OptiStruct Abaqus

*NODE
GRID 1 0.0 1.0 0.0 1, 0.0 , 1.0 , 0.0
GRID 2 0.0 0.0 0.0 2, 0.0 , 0.0 , 0.0
GRID 3 1.0 0.0 0.0 3, 1.0 , 0.0 , 0.0

*ELEMENT,TYPE=S4,ELSET=part_1
CQUAD4 1 1 1 2 3 4 1, 1, 2, 3, 4
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
CQUAD4 2 1 3 4 5 6
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Solver Formats - HyperMesh “Templates”

• HyperMesh can interact with different solvers by using “templates”

• The selected template tells HyperMesh what solver the model is for

• The template also tells HyperMesh how entities are formatted for that solver
• Each entity may have several available formats for that solver
• Each format has fields that make up its definition
• These fields may need to have values entered by the user

• Example: a component for OptiStruct can be a PSHELL or PSOLID format

• PSHELL: defines shell elements, ID = 1, material = 1, thickness 5.0

PSHELL 1 15.0 1 1 0.0

• PSOLID: defines solid elements, ID = 2, material = 1

PSOLID 2 1 0

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Solver Formats - Solver Formats for Loads

• Loads format is specified by setting a “load type”

Example solver keywords available as element types:

HyperMesh
Load
Configuration: OptiStruct LS-Dyna Abaqus

SPC, SPCD, ASET, *BOUNDARY_SPC_NODE, *BOUNDARY,

ASET1, SUPPORT, *BOUNDARY_ *BOUNDARY, TYPE=
Constraint QSET1, etc. ACCELERATION,
PRESCRIBED_MOTION_
VELOCITY, etc.
NODE

Force FORCE *LOAD_NODE_POINT *CLOAD

PLOAD, PLOAD2, *LOAD_SHELL_ELEMENT, *DLOAD, *DFLUX,

PLOAD4, QBDY1 *LOAD_SEGMENT *FILM, *DECHARGE
Pressure

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General Analysis Setup Process

• General Setup Process

• Importing Geometry
• Creating Collectors
• Create & Edit Geometry Data
• Obtain line and surface geometry from an external file, or hand digitize the data
• Reconcile conflicts in the geometry and prepare it for use

• Create & Edit FE Model

• Build the model by using element-building panels
• Create Properties & Materials

• Verify the Quality of the Model

• Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control Cards
• Create Boundary Conditions (Loads and Constraints)
• Create Load Steps
• Define Control Cards

• Run Analysis with Solver (OptiStruct)

• Result Visualization

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General Setup Process Tools

1. Load the appropriate template for that solver

• Preferences > User Profiles OR

• Loads the appropriate template for that solver
• Template can also be set manually
• File > Load > Solver Template

• Sets the File > Import > Solver Deck File type field to
the appropriate solver

• Loads a script menu with tools specific to working with

that solver
• OptiStruct – LoadSteps Browser, Component Table, etc.

• Customizes the HyperMesh menu

• Removes panels that are not used with that solver
• Removes controls inside a panel that are not used with that
solver
• Renames some panels & controls in panels to match solver
terminology

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General Setup Process Tools

2. Create the entities needed for your model
• Keep in mind what is needed for the solver and analysis being used
• Entities need to be properly organized in collectors:
• Collectors pull-down menu OR Collectors toolbar OR Model browser + Entity Editor

• Create
• Assign a card image to the collector being created
• Edit the card image fields if desired
• Assign a material to the collector being created
• Update
• Assign a material to an existing collector
• Assign and/or edit a card image of an existing collector

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General Setup Process Tools

2. Create the entities needed for your model (continue…)
• Model browser + Entity Editor

Model Browser 
Right Click

Entity Editor

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General Setup Process Tools

2. Create the entities needed for your model
(continue…)
• Entity Editor  Solver Specific Data
• You can create and edit this data using the Entity Editor.

• Card Image: you can change the Card Image assigned to

an entity using the Entity Editor. Edit an entities ID and
Name:
To change the Card Image, click the Value field and then
select a new Card Image from the drop-down menu. The
Card Images available in the drop-down will depend on
the user profile and the entity type.

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General Setup Process Tools

2. Create the entities needed for your model
(continue…)
• Entity Editor  Solver Specific Data

• Property & Material: Element property and material

assignment rules are based on the user profile. You can
modify the entity selection in the Entity Editor by
assigning another entity or entities from the Selection
List dialog or from the Entity Selector.

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General Setup Process Tools

3. Load the proper card image or type where needed.

• Set a “current element / load type” for an element / load configuration

• Any new elements / loads of that configuration created will have that element / load type
• Change the element / load type of existing elements / loads
• Generally use the elem types or load types panel
• Elements and loads will always have a type and configuration
• Sometimes collectors may not need a card image

• Entities Configuration and Types

• Two identifiers for elem and loads in HyperMesh
• Configuration: HyperMesh core feature
• Type: Defined by loaded template

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General Setup Process Tools

4. Enter values in the card images as required
• The goal in formatting for analysis is:
• All entities have the proper formats (card image / type)
• Card images of all entities have necessary information entered

• Card Image > Use Model browser + Entity Editor to

edit a collector:
• Model Browser  select a collector
• Go to Entity Editor and View/Edit the card image of the
selected collector.

• Card Image > Collectors toolbar > Card Edit to

check card images of all collectors.
• View / edit the card image of any entity in the model
• Includes entities that are not collectors (nodes, elements,
loads, etc.)

• Preferences > Graphics pulldown menu

• template labels (type)
• Activate the graphic displayed names of entities in solver
(template) terminology rather than HyperMesh (solver
neutral) terminology
• Helps keep track of what is in the model

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General Setup Process Tools

4. Enter values in the card images as required
(continue …)
• Solver Browser
• The Solver Browser provides a solver perspective view of
the model structure in flat, listed tree structure.
Hierarchical structures are only available for
card images that allow variations with themselves
• Displays solver-based cards in a tree format
• Uses organization & structure of the represented solver
• Performs basic actions involving cards:
• Create new cards
• Delete existing cards
• Edit attributes of existing cards
• Display controlled in the menu bar:
View > Browsers > HyperMesh > Solver

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General Setup Process Tools

4. Enter values in the card images as required
(continue …)
• Solver Browser

• The Solver Browser includes toolbars, a context-

sensitive menu, and controls built into the display
tree.

• Toolbars provide the ability to show or hide entities

(component, material and property) within the
model, and add entities to a panel collector. These
abilities are collectively referred to as display
controls and browser modes.
The context-sensitive menu provides basic
functions such as card editing, creation, deletion,
display control, and review.

• Right click a collector and select edit card

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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps
and Control Cards
• Load Collectors
• The final step in the model building process is to
apply constraints and forces and to create or
assign coordinate systems. Before you apply
loads, you need to create a Load Collector.
• Loads are displayed in the color assigned to the
load collector. The size of loads and constraints is
based on model units and can be modified from
within the boundary condition panels.
• HyperMesh stores and displays all loads in the
global coordinate system and, if needed, it
transforms the loads appropriately to any local
nodal output coordinate system.
• Load collectors collect and organize loads. Load
Collectors are created, edited, and deleted from
one of the following Tools:
• Model Browser + Entity Editor  they are
shown under the Load Collector folder.
• From the pull down menu Collectors > Create
> Load Collectors OR

• Loads and equations can be organized into a load

collector using the Organize panel

• New loads and equations are automatically

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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control Cards (continue …)
• Load Collectors – BCs Types

• Boundary Conditions define limits as well as loads on geometry and mesh.

• Load entities have associated load configurations.
• BCs Entity can be created from one of the following Tools:

Method 1 Method 2

From the pull down menu From the pull down menu
BCs > Create > …BCs Entity Types BCs > Loads on Geometry

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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control Cards
(continue …)
• Load Collectors – BCs Types (continue …)
• FE Loading
Forces
• Loads (constraint, force, pressure, moment, temperature, flux, velocity, acceleration)
• Equations (mathematical link between nodes)

• Contacts
• Group (defines contact between entities)
• Contact Surfs (defines a list of entities that can be used as master or slave in a group)
Pressures

Constraints

Contact
Surface
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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control Cards (continue …)
• Load Collectors – BCs > Load on Geometry
• Loads can be created on geometry as well as FE entities
• The Loads on Geometry panel allows you to map loads or boundary conditions from geometry entities
(loads on geometry) to the associated FE mesh entities (loads on mesh).
More than one mesh can be associated with the geometry entity to which the loads are applied.
The loads are mapped to all the meshes associated with the geometry entities to which they are applied.

• The loadcols selection box lists a group of load collectors that contain the loads on geometry to be mapped.

• Once a load collector is selected, click map loads to perform the mapping.

Create a Load
Collector

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Create load on geometry Create the mesh Map the load to the mesh
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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control
Cards (continue …)
• Load Steps – Setup > Create > Load Steps

• The Load Steps allows you to create and update collections of load

collectors, groups, and output blocks.

• Not all options will apply to each user profile.

• The Load Steps allows you to select and combine Load Collectors

previously defined that contain Loads and Constraints entities.

• The current load step displays in the name = field in the upper left.

• Multiple Load Steps are allowed in the same analysis.

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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control
Cards (continue …)
• Load Steps – Setup > Create > Load Steps (continue…)

• Load Steps Card Images:

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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control Cards
(continue…)
• Another way to create Load Steps – Tools > Load Steps Browser

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General Setup Process Tools

5. Create Boundary Conditions, Load Steps and Control
Cards (continue …)
• Control Cards – Setup > Create > Control Cards
• Control cards allow you to add input and output parameters to a
model, including location and names of the input, output and scratch
files; the type of run (analysis, check or restart); overall running of the
analysis or optimization; and type, format and frequency of the output.

• Control cards are assigned to your model from within the Control
Cards panel. This panel lists all of the control cards defined for the
solver/user profile that you currently have loaded; you can disable,
enable, or delete cards as desired.

• Control Cards > Card Images (OptiStruct User Profile):

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General Setup Process Tools

6. Model Summary
• Tools > Summary Template
• The Summary Template allows you to obtain a summary of component element counts
or element properties of the current model. You can define your own summary by
creating a template file.
• Displays a text window with various types of information about the model

• Helps to review the model and make sure all information has been entered properly

Summary Type Description

Components Component Name, ID, Material Name, Thickness, Mass, #Elements

Center of Gravity Component Name, ID, Mass, X, Y, Z

Elements Type of Elements, Element Configurations

ID Info Load Collector, Load Steps, Components

Loads Load Collector, ID, FX, FY, FZ, Magnitude

Material Material name, ID and values of each properties in each material

Moment of Inertia Component Name, ID, Mass, Moment of Inertia Matrix

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General Setup Process Tools

6. Model Summary (continue …)
• Tools > Summary Template  How to summary Loads:
• Go to Tools > Summary Template
• Select optistruct/loads as Template file.
• Click on summary to display the file on the screen.
• To export the summary file click on Save as…

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General Setup Process Tools

7. Run Analysis with Solver (OptiStruct)
• Optimization > OptiStruct
• To run the analysis click on OptiStruct

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General Setup Process Tools

8. Result Visualization in HyperView
• HyperWorks Solver View > Results

• You can view a different input/result file clicking on View

• Click on Results to open Hyperview and load h3d file by default (model+results); click on
Apply.

• If you want, you can load a different input/result file clicking on Load model (load .fem as input file) and
Load results (load .res as result file); click on Apply.

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General Setup Process Tools

8. Result Visualization in HyperView (continue…)
• HyperWorks Solver View > Results (continue…)

• In HyperView you can review results using Contour panel , Deform panel , animate
and many others.

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Part Replacement Tool

• The Part Replacement dialog enables you to replace elements in an existing
component/part with new elements. It also restores the referenced items in the original
model to the new part, for example 1-D connections, masses, equations, boundary
conditions, and loads. A message log is provided, which lists the entities being replaced
and reconnected as well as cases that require or will require user interaction.
The Part Replacement dialog generates a log file that contains a list of the entities being
replaced and reconnected in addition to cases that require user interaction.
• Full component replacement
• All references
• New component: model or external file
• Result preview and checks
• Update loads, boundary conditions, connections, contacts, etc.

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Part Replacement Tool

• View > Browsers > HyperMesh > Utility tab > Part Replacement (…continue)

1. Preferences > User Profiles OR

Loads the appropriate template for that solver

2. Utility tab > Part Replacement

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Part Replacement Tool - User Interface

• View > Browsers > HyperMesh > Utility tab > Part Replacement (…continue)

Component selection in case

of multiple files

Graphical user interface

Advanced options to adjust replacement results 161

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Part Replacement Tool - Details

• View > Browsers > HyperMesh > Utility tab > Part Replacement (…continue)

• What’s covered?
• Maintain property and material ID
• Loads and boundary conditions
• Sets
• Contact surfaces
• Include file organization
• Output blocks
• Control volumes
• Systems and vectors
• Connectors, rigid elements
and masses

• Replacement strategy
• Nodes > Proximity distance
• Elements > Box
• Component > Unconditional update

• Show / Hide / Isolate / Review

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Part Replacement Tool - Examples

Pressure loads 1D Connections

Contact Surfaces Contact Definitions

Node Sets on Entire Component Rigid Elements 163

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Demo

Work Along Demonstration

HyperMesh Desktop
Analysis Setup

(04-BUCKET-SETUP.iges)
(04-BUCKET-SETUP.fem)

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 7a (Manual Page 391):

Interacting with HyperMesh

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-7-ANALYSIS-SETUP\
07a-ANALYSIS-SETUP-OPTISTRUCT.hm

Objectives:
OptiStruct User Profile:
- Analysis Setup & Post Processing

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Chapter 7 - Questions & Answers

1) What doesn’t happen when you switch to another User Profiles?

A. Loading a specific template

B. Convert a model to another solver format
C. Renaming and/or moving panels and options, removing unused panels
D. Loading a specific script menu

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Altair HyperMesh Desktop 13.0
Introduction

Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis

Capstone Project

Trainer’s Name
Month XX, 2013

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Chapter 8 - Capstone Project

• Bringing it all together.
At this point all of the major introductory topics have been discussed, demonstrated and tried. Now
it is time to put them all together and experience a project on the full process that the engineer will
experience using HyperMesh in a real world situation. This final exercise will cover the following topics:

• Importing a Model
• Geometry Cleanup
• 1D Meshing
• 2D Meshing
• 3D Meshing
• Analysis Setup
• Model Loading
• Analysis
• Post Processing

Each of these topics has been covered in previous chapters and the student is encouraged to use this
manual as a reference guide to assist in performing these tasks.

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise 8a (Manual Page 414):

Capstone Project

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-8-CAPSTONE-PROJECT\SolarPanels.iges
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-8-CAPSTONE-PROJECT\SatelliteBody.hm
…\Model Files\CHAPTER-8-CAPSTONE-PROJECT\Dish.fem

Objectives:
This is a pseudo realistic situation where you as
an analyst will be asked to determine the inertial
effects of a thrust scenario on a satellite in orbit.
This will be an idealized analysis as satellites
typically do not have thrusters of this sort and in
that we will be assuming many things.
We will also be ignoring other external factors
such as micro gravity.

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Chapter 8 - Questions & Answers

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Altair HyperMesh Desktop 13.0
Introduction

Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis

Appendix A - HyperMesh Desktop Customization

Trainer’s Name
Month XX, 2013

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Appendix A - HyperMesh Desktop Customization

9) Appendix A - HMD Customization

• Customization Overview
• Scripting Files
• TCL
• TK
• Utility Menu
• HW GUI Toolkit
• Deployment
• Process Manager
• Model Checker
• Solver Templates
• Data Management
• HyperWorks Desktop Reference Guide
• Script Exchange
• Questions & Answers
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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Overview

• What is it?  In general, it is an automatic or semi-automatic execution of a series of
HyperMesh commands, steps or processes.

• Levels of Automation: Basic  Advanced

• Level 1 - HyperMesh Tcl/Tk script :

• Tcl/Tk: publicly available, open-standard, interpreted scripting language.
• Benefits: add logic and conditional control to HyperMesh scripts, develop custom applications, including
user-defined panels.
• Script file contains: HyperMesh scripts & Tcl commands, core Tcl/Tk commands.
• Application Examples: Tool creating a solver material database, Tool defining a HyperMesh panel, Tool
requesting
user to specify load collector name and then creates the collector with that name if one does not already exist.

• Level 2 - Altair Process Manager:

• It enables rapid development and deployment of process automation applications in the CAE domain
• It is a programmable personal workflow manager that guides users through standard work process
• Some benefits: standardize CAE processes, minimize CAE analysis set-up time, rerun previously-conducted
CAE
processes, establish and distribute “Best Practice” processes corporate wide.

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Overview

• HyperMesh Desktop: Customization Overview
• HyperMesh Desktop customization via Tcl / Tk
• Shell (command line) and script execution possible
• HyperMesh API (Application Programming Interface) or simply HyperMesh commands
can be called
• Scripting toolbar to help with macro high level tasks and link to ScriptView
• GUI to assign short keys
• Script Performance settings
• A lot of ASCII files for configuration and customization e.g. connector templates, meshing
quality templates, Solver export templates, model checker templates…

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Scripting Files

• Opening and Saving Files
Within the Scripting toolbar (View > Toolbars > HyperWorks > Scripting) there are additional
tools which allow you to open various files:

New Tcl/Tk Script – Starts a new HyperMath session.

Open Tcl/Tk Scripts

Open Tcl/Tk script in HyperMath or open command file in a text editor.
Open Command File

Run Tcl/Tk Script – Opens a browser to load and run a TCL file.

Run Command File – Opens a browser to load and run an HyperMesh command files (*.cmf).
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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - TCL

• Controlling the Desktop with TCL
• Tool Command Language
• Open Source
• Scripting Interpreted language
• Simple syntax ideal for engineers:
• everything is a string
• no variable declaration needed
• Can be used as standalone application or to control various
HyperWorks products
• For performance TCL commands can be implemented using C
language
• HyperWorks provide TCL shells

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - TK

• Creating GUI for the Desktop with TK
• Graphical user interface (GUI) toolkit
• Open source add for TCL
• Tk adds about 35 TCL commands to create and manipulate widgets
• A Widget is graphical entity with a particular appearance and behavior
• E.g. tk_getOpenFile is a tcl command that pops up a dialog box widget for the user to select a
file to open
• One can design simple to complex GUIs in pure tcl/tk embedded into HyperWorks Desktop.

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Utility Menu

• Utility Tab View > Browsers > HyperMesh > Utility
• It contains and runs HyperMesh-supplied scripts and Tcl/Tk scripts.
• Location for User-Created Macros
• Save them to your user-created userpage.mac file
• By default, script menu’s User page is blank; it is reserved for user-created
scripts.

• Location for User-Created Tcl/Tk Scripts

• Set environment variable, TCL_INCLUDE, containing list of path names to
search before looking in default folder.

• HyperMesh macros consist of valid command file or templex

commands.
• To call a script from the Utility menu, a button needs to be created.
• Button is located in the Utility menu.
• Button calls the appropriate script using the *createbutton command.

• Attributes that you can change include:

• The Utility Menu page on which the operations appear.
• Text to be displayed on each control.
• Location and size of the menu.
• The help string to be displayed on the menu bar.
• The script to call when each control is used.

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - HW GUI Toolkit

• Creating GUI for the Desktop with HW GUI Toolkit
• Extra on top Toolkit for coding Tcl/Tk dialogs
• Based on tk standard widgets with on top Altair GUI standards and
functionality
• Toolkit to navigate commands documentation, examples and demo
code
• Offers simpler use and extra functionality compared to pure tk/tcl

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Process to Create a Tcl HyperMesh Scripts

1. Define the task.

2. Delete the existing command.cmf file. This file is located in either the start-in
directory or the current working directory.
3. Perform the operations in HyperMesh that the script should run.
4. Extract the commands from the command.cmf.
5. Create a Tcl script by converting the commands to Tcl format and modifying as
necessary (this includes adding additional Tcl commands)
6. Create a new Utility menu script that runs a Tcl script.
7. Add script button using *createbutton that calls the script created in Step 6 with
the appropriate Tcl script filename.
8. Reload the current .mac file into HyperMesh to load the modified userpage.mac.
9. Test the script.

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Process Manager

• Develop Processes with Process Manager
• Enables rapid development and deployment of
process automation applications in the desktop
• GUI builder for process flow creation
• Drag and drop panel GUI creation

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Model Checker

• HyperMesh Desktop: Model Checker
• Model checking browser with checking functionality
• Standard check templates delivered out of the box
(OTB)
• Templates are ASCII based and fully customizable
• Library of checks and corrections available OTB
• Any custom check can be added via macro plug and
play
• Various API commands to steer the browser

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Solver Templates

• What are Solver Templates?
• Solver templates define every solver specific attribute including data names, attribute IDs, card image formats,
and the format of the data upon export.
• Templates exist for each solver supported by HyperMesh and are located in subfolders under the
<altair_home>/templates/feoutput directory.
• The *defineattribute command is used to define attribute data names and IDs in a template file.

• Types of Attributes defined in Solver Templates

• There are several different types of attributes including array, double, entity, integer and string.
• The difference is that each entity type uses an appropriate *attributeupdate command based on its type.
• There are also a number of hm_attribute commands to query entity attributes.

• Create a Tcl procedure that allows us to substitute variables for the name, color and
data values.
• We can make the template file path modular across different platforms.
• Also we can make the material ID a variable that references the newly created material ID, so that the
*attributeupdatedouble and *attributeupdateint commands work properly.

• The advantage of doing this is:

• Only need to pass the material name, color and the values for the material properties and the procedure will
create the material accordingly.
• The variables are then used in the later commands to pass the appropriate arguments.
• This procedure also checks to see if a material with that name already exists, and if it does, a message is returned
in the HyperMesh message bar.
• The hm_info command is used to find the appropriate template to load.

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Solver Attributes

and Card Images
• A sample card image for an OptiStruct MAT1 material collector is shown below:

• For each field in the above card image there is, a corresponding attribute and data name
in one the optistruct templates located in:
<altair_home>/templates/feoutput/common_nas_os/attribs

• An excerpt is shown below for several of the card image fields:

*defineattribute(E,1,real,none)
*defineattribute(G,2,real,none)
*defineattribute(Nu,3,real,none)
*defineattribute(Rho,4,real,none)

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HyperMesh Desktop Automation - Data Management

• Data Management directly inbuilt into desktop
• Allowing file version control, tractability, advanced
organization, searching and filtering
• Customization of profiles, parsers and GUI possible
• Also can use it to maintain and deploy macros

• Note: Connection with Siemens Teamcenter,

PTC
Windchill, …
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HyperMesh Desktop Reference Guide

• HyperWorks Desktop:
• Framework that contains the applications HyperView,
MotionView, HyperGraph, HyperGraph 3D, TextView,
MediaView, and HyperMesh. Through this
framework, other HyperWorks applications, such as
Manufacturing Solutions, Data Manager, Process
Manager, HyperStudy, OptiStruct, as well as third
party solvers, can be accessed.

• HyperWorks Desktop Reference Guide:

• Supplies help for the use of scripting commands,
custom translators, and similar functions that allow
advanced users to customize how HyperWorks
Desktop behaves. The reference guides are broken
down by specific applications; there are separate
guides for HyperMesh, HyperWorks Desktop, and
Templex and Math.

• The HyperMesh Reference Guide:

• Describes HyperMesh Tcl/Tk scripting commands,
HMASCII, Ext API, custom FE input and result reader
APIs, Model Checker customization, and custom
solver templates.
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Altair Script Exchange

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Demo 1 - Work Along Demonstration

HyperMesh Desktop Customization (Manual Page 431) - File Name and Location:
…\Demo Model Files\APPENDIX-A\A1\userpage.mac

…\Demo Model Files\APPENDIX-A\Appendix-A-HMD-CUSTOM-DEMO_v13-MR-APRIL10-2014-TRAINER.doc

Objectives:
Description  Add a button to the User Page on the Utility Menu which executes the script modeltour.tcl.
This script is located in the installation under hm\scripts, so a path is not needed.
The name of the button should be “Model Tour”.
The help string should be “Explore HyperMesh Session”.
The color and location are up to you.
HyperMesh commands used  *createbutton()
TCL/TK commands used  none
Hints  On Windows, the working directory is located in the My Documents folder or your own folder.
Create a new text file called userpage.mac in this location and add the appropriate commands to
make the button evaluate the tcl file.

Results: *createbutton(5, "Model Tour", -1, 0, 10, CYAN, "Explore HyperMesh

Session", "EvalTcl", "modeltour.tcl")

Note: See next slide to get details.

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Demo 1 - Work Along Demonstration

Command Command
Position
and page to evaluate
and Color
number TCL Script

Button Pop up Script file

Name help Name

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Demo 2 - Work Along Demonstration

HyperMesh Desktop Customization (Manual Page 432) - File Name and Location:
…\Demo Model Files\APPENDIX-A\A2\userpage.mac ; …\Demo Model Files\APPENDIX-A\A2\myScript.tcl

…\Demo Model Files\APPENDIX-A\Appendix-A-HMD-CUSTOM-DEMO_v13-MR-APRIL10-2014-TRAINER.doc

Objectives:
Description  Add a pair of buttons to the User Page on the Utility Menu. The first one shall call an
editor with a certain file (tcl script), the other one shall run this tcl script.
This is a starting point to write scripts. The file name might be myScript.tcl in the local
directory. The names of the buttons should be "Test" and "Edit".
The help strings should be “Test myScript.tcl", "Edit myScript.tcl”.
The color and location as well as the macro names are up to you.
HyperMesh commands used  *createbutton(), *beginmacro(), *endmacro(), *systemcommand(),
*evaltclscript()
TCL/TK commands used  none
Hints  On Windows, the working directory is located in the My Documents folder.
Create a new text file called userpage.mac in this location and add the appropriate commands to
make the buttons evaluate/edit the tcl file.

Results: *createbutton(5,"Test",0,0,5,RED,"Test myScript.tcl",runMyScript)

*beginmacro(runMyScript)
*evaltclscript("myScript.tcl",0)
*endmacro()

*createbutton(5,"Edit",0,5,5,BUTTON,"Edit myScript.tcl",editMyScript)
*beginmacro(editMyScript)
*systemcommand("notepad.exe myScript.tcl")
*endmacro() 190
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Demo 2 - Work Along Demonstration

Command Position Pop HMD script

Button
and page and up name to
Name
number Color help execute

HMD script
definition.
This HMD script
launches TCL
script

HMD script
definition.
This HMD script
launches TCL
script editor
HMD script
name to
execute

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Appendix A - Questions & Answers

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Altair HyperMesh Desktop 13.0
Introduction

Pre-processing for Finite Element Analysis

Appendix B - HyperWorks Collaboration Tools &

HyperWorks Assembly

Trainer’s Name
Month XX, 2013

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Appendix B - HyperWorks Collaboration Tools & Assembly

10) Appendix B - HyperWorks Collaboration Tools & Assembly

• HyperWorks Collaboration Tools:
• Benefits
• Components: Explore, Organize, Connect
• Terminology and Concepts
• Organize Browser
• Creating and Using a Personal Library
• Material Library
• HyperWorks Assembly:
• Modules
• Questions & Answers

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HyperWorks Collaboration Tools - Benefits

• HyperWorks Collaboration Tools provides many benefits that challenge users
and team managers to manage their CAD data.
Some of these benefits are listed below:

• Well organized container for each project type

• Centralized location of project data files

• Easy access for team members

• Version controlled project data files

• Does not require any additional software installation

• Ability for team members to view/modify project data files

• Real time monitoring for individual projects

• Integrated seamlessly within any Altair HyperWorks applications

• Able to add new parsers to read in different metadata types

• Customize toolbar to site’s specification

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HyperWorks Collaboration Tools - Components

• Components: Explore, Organize, and Connect

• Explore CAE contents and metadata easily and quickly

• Organize CAE simulations in a content browser

• Connect to third-party PLM systems for CAD search and retrieve

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HyperWorks Collaboration Tools - Components

• Components: Explore, Organize, and Connect (…continue)

• Explore
• Integrated into all Desktop native file dialogs
• Easily search & retrieve files
• Automated indexing of selected folders
• View properties associated with files, with automatic metadata extraction

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HyperWorks Collaboration Tools - Components

• Components: Explore, Organize, and Connect (…continue)

• Organize

• Organize simulation data and files into libraries

• Browse local and shared libraries to find
and retrieve contents
• Retain pedigree via full version control
• Synchronize to work with up to date
information

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HyperWorks Collaboration Tools - Components

• Components: Explore, Organize, and Connect (…continue)

• Connect to PLM systems

• Seamlessly connect to corporate PLM systems for CAD retrieval
• Search & retrieve directly within PLM repository
• Retrieve and load CAD files directly into HM
• Initially available as OTB feature to pull CAD data from Teamcenter

• Connect to other published contents

• Browse your teammates’ published resources

• Existent Enterprise Data Sources (e.g. Material DB)
• Create a generic “pull” connection

• Connect from HyperWorks Desktop to corporate PDM (Bi-Directional Integration)

• Search for Parts, CAD, BOM
• Browse product structure for desired part(s)
• Download and import directly into HyperWorks PDM
HWCT
• Publish contents – meshes, solver decks, results,
... – back to PDM 199
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Terminology and Concepts

• Repository
• A Repository is where data, information, and associated files are located.
• There are two out-of-the-box repositories:
• My Computer is an unmanaged repository
• Unmanaged: Contents are not versioned and files are not moved from their current locations on
the disk.

• Personal is a managed repository

• Managed: Contents can be versioned, allowing for full lineage of the content and the files are
moved to the library’s managed vault
• Additional repositories can be added, such as corporate PLM systems
• Repositories may contain one or more libraries

• Library
• Libraries can be created within a repository to logically organize or group the contents stored
within a repository by using the appropriate profile type
• There are three types of profiles
• CAE Profile (default)
• Contains out-of-the-box content definitions for CAE content types
• HyperMesh model, results file, solver deck
• General Profile
• Will only contain non-content definitions
• Managed Profile
• Contains out-of-the-box content definitions for material information 200
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Terminology and Concepts

• Workspace
• Corresponds to a local directory where files are retrieved from the vault so they can be viewed
and/or modified by users.
• maintains knowledge of what contents have been retrieved from the repository at any given time.
• For an unmanaged library the workspace is not used; since no file movement occurs
• For a managed library the default workspace directory:
C:/Documents and Settings/<user>/hweDefaultWS

• Vault
• An area, associated with a repository, where managed content files are moved and stored .

• Content Type
• Contents stored within a library are typed, according to content definitions, based on the Altair
Unified Data Model (UDM)
• Contents are organized by the following methods:
• Category
• A special type of content which can be used to classify or organize other content
• Folder
• A folder refers to the physical location of a file on the operating system, in a vault or a workspace

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Organize Browser - User Interface

• Organize Browser

• HyperWorks Collaboration Tools features are mostly setup within the HyperWorks Organize
Browser.

• The Organize Browser user interface can be accessed within HyperWorks Desktop by clicking on
the top window pull-down menu:
View > Browsers > HyperWorks > Organize

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Organize Browser - User Interface

Repository Library

Toolbars
Workspace

Content
Browser

Properties Panel

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Organize Browser - Toolbar

• Organize Browser – Toolbar

Import
Existing Show/Hide Show Show/Hide
Library References Recycle Bin Filter Bar

Workspace Export Category Show/Hide Show/Hide Show/Hide

View Current Mode Properties Query Bar Filter Bar
Or Selection to Or
Repository a Library Folder
View Mode

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Organize Browser - Using and Setting Organize

Browser Preferences
• Users can set the Organize preferences such as: editing applications, diff
applications, and map file extensions

• To access the Organize preferences

1. Right click within the Content browser

to display the Context menu.

2. Click Set Preferences.

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Creating and Using a Personal Library

• Creating and Using a Personal Library

Using the Collaboration tools within the Organize browser is very easy and simple to use.
In this section, we will show you how to set up your first Personal library and populate it with
CAE files.
From there, we will show you some of the top level features how the Collaboration tools can
help your CAE process.

• Creating a Personal CAE library

• Adding CAE files to the Personal library
• Searching for CAE files
• Loading in a CAE model
• Viewing Model Properties
• Viewing Version History

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HyperWorks Material Library

• Access to corporate material information

• Guarantee that accurate properties are used in simulations

• Seamless Integration within HyperWorks Desktop environment

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HyperWorks Material Library - Accessibility

• Find what you’re looking for using
full search and filter capabilities
Simple Query
• Search for materials based on robust set of properties
• Simple keyword searches + advanced queries
• Full text search – search within files
• Filter materials by material type, solver type, etc.

• Save commonly used queries for efficiency and reuse

Advanced Query

Properties

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HyperWorks Material Library - Integration

• Content preview
• Preview stress-strain curves
• Overlay and compare curves
• Access to material library during import process

• Add new materials to library

• Add individual materials interactively
• Bulk load and add materials automatically
• Extract material information from existing solver decks
• Add new materials during material creation process
• Automatic metadata extraction
• Maintain pedigree
• Version history 209
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HyperWorks Connect - Use Cases & Connectors Examples

• Examples of Use Cases

• Retrieve CAD from PLM System
• Retrieve BOMs from PLM System
PLM
• Publish FE Meshes/Solver Decks to PLM System
• Publish CAE Results & Reports to PLM System
• Retrieve Material information from Material Database

• Examples of Existing Connectors

• Siemens Teamcenter
• PTC Windchill
• Other PLM Vendors …
• Material DB (e.g. Key To Metals) 13.0
• Other 3rd Party Enterprise Applications
13.0

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HyperWorks Assembly Browser

• Build FE assembly models

• Maintain properties from PDM  FE  PDM
• Seamless Integration within HyperWorks Desktop environment
• Batch meshing integration

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HyperWorks Assembly - Modules

• With the ever growing need to reduce model build times and manage models more
effectively, a new and innovative approach to the way models are constructed within
HyperMesh is underway.

• A new HyperMesh entity, called the Module entity, will enable users to manage their
model data in a modularized fashion.

• Modularization allows for light-weight self-containment of

parts & sub-assemblies

• mod·ule
[moj-ool]
… a separable component, frequently one that
is interchangeable with others, for assembly
into units of differing size, complexity, or function.

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HyperWorks Assembly - Modules

• Currently used by the Assembly browser
• NVH Director
• Crash Profile
• Teamcenter Integration

• Modules are created when BOMs are

loaded

• In HW 13.0, we’ve taken the first steps to

expose Modules as a new entity in HM

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HyperWorks Assembly - Current Module

• The user will be able to set a current module similar to current component from
• Assembly Browser Current Module shown
in bold in Assembly
• Status Bar Browser

Current Module Current Component

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HyperWorks Assembly - Organization within Modules

• Organize components, properties or materials from one module to another.

• Show Contents - The user will be able to review the contents of a module.
Operations On Entities
Contents Tab
From Contents Tab

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om
in
g
So
HyperWorks Assembly - Modules in Model Browser

on
• Modules, their hierarchy, and their contents, shown in Model browser

• Select by Module
• Display by Module

Current Module

Current Component 216

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Do-it-yourself

Exercise B1 (Manual Page 449):

Creating and Using a Personal Library

File Name and Location:

…\Model Files\CHAPTER-10-APPENDIX-B-HWCT\demos

Objectives:
HyperWorks Collaboration Tools

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Appendix B - Questions & Answers

218